|
Saturday Night Racing
By: Tyler O’Donnell
The rain managed to avoid Clarksville Speedway on Saturday May 16th, as fans enjoyed some great dirt track racing on Saturday night. The night got kick-started with hot laps and then qualifying. After that, the mini sprint feature make-up race took place.
The 30 lap event was the first race of many that ran Saturday night. Then the heats took place where the Pro Street, Street, Crate Late Model, Mini Sprint, Open Wheel, Pure Mini, Late Model, and Mini Mod all took the track for eight laps of door to door racing. There were only two races that went caution free during the heats. Otherwise, wrecks came early and often. No question some of them were intentional. A problem for some cars was oil leaks, as at least three drivers had problems with fluid leaking from their racecars. A few cars had to exit early with this problem.
The feature races started out with the Mini Sprints. 20 cars competed in the first feature race of the night as Derek King won in dramatic fashion. He passed Ryan Langston on the final turn on the final lap. Langston had led the races first 20 laps, but could not lead lap number 21. It was a major disappointment for Langston. Travis H. Senter Jr. brought his car home in third.
That feature race was followed up by another good one in the mini mod feature. It was Michael D. Blade who picked up the win. He did it the way really no one else does it. He used the high line most of the race to fend off John Neill who finished second. Ronnie R. Richardson wound up third. Jacob B. Bryant, who got the pole, lost the handling of his race in the end and finished six.
In the pro street race, only four of the eight cars in the event went on to finish. Mike Hodges came out on the winning end, surpassing second place finisher Michael Zimmerman and third place Anthony Jackson. It was a wild race, with the #19 losing a wheel in the race. There was also a red flag in the race, which halted the cars for over ten minutes. In the street feature, Michael W. Neighbors, who led every lap, picked up the win. He was followed by Floyd R. Clinard Jr. and Ronnie Hedgepath. The biggest crash on the night came in the race. It was a five car pileup with one lap to go. The race was caution-filled with three cautions in the first four laps.
In the crate model feature, Caleb Ashby got the victory. Tait Davenport gave him a good fight at the end, getting inside of Ashby, but got too loose while trying to make the pass and spun out. Matt Liner took the second position and Ronnie L. Cooper produced a third place finish. The open wheel feature had 21 drivers competing for a win. It was Lucas R. Lee eventually grabbing that win in a race shortened event. Fluid on the track from a blown engine was the reason for the shortened event. Michael Neighbors came in second, followed by Michael Lee.
The pure mini stock race was taken hold of by Jeffery Rittenbury, who dominated the race. He got revenge after spinning out in the closing laps of a race last weekend when it looked like he had the win. He was followed by Michael Rittenbury, and Evan Taylor. The last race of the night was the late model feature. Jason McBride got the win. It is back to back for him after winning last week. Carnell Parker the third came in second and Dennis Erb came in third.
| 
